Iceland volcano erupts, lighting up the sky over Reykjanes peninsula
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A volcanic eruption lit up the sky over Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula Monday night, Iceland's meteorological office said.
The eruption was recorded at 10:17 p.m. local time north of the fishing town of Grindavik, the office said in a statement. It was preceded by an earthquake swarm at 9 p.m., the office said.
An Iceland coast guard helicopter crew was taking off to get a look at the eruption from the air and estimate a size of the breach, it said.
From the village of Hafnarfjordur, smoke is seen billowing in the distance from a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula Monday. Oskar Grimur Kristjansson / AFP - Getty Images
The nation's civil defense coordination center was activated as a precaution, and national police raised the nation's civil defense preparedness level, according to a statement from civil defense officials.
Authorities asked the public not to visit the area of the volcano.
The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal resort, popular with global travelers, said on its website it was closed as a result of the eruption.
Civil defense officials and the police commissioner of the southern Reykjanes peninsula evacuated Grindavik, with a population of roughly 3,400, in mid-November amid a drumbeat of earthquakes they saw as a harbinger of an eruption.
Colin Sheeley, Liam Woods, Associated Press, Marin Scott and Simeon Paterson contributed.
Really?
Morning...yeah till it really lets rip and turns into another White island as in New Zealand where 22 people were killed 4 years ago...they were told it was safe too...
You treat Mother Nature with respect, if you don't she tends to bite you on the arse..that would look really good on a selfie..🙄🙄
Some people are just plain stupid..
Morning, shona.
I agree.
When dealing with Mother Nature, the most brilliant scientist on the planet, is just guessing what is likely to happen next. And depending on how the data will affect the economy, the warnings may be downplayed or not given at all by the media.
I agree that some people are just plain stupid, but some people just need to develop a healthy amount of cynicism when it comes to trusting "experts" in any arena.
The USGS does a pretty good job of monitoring volcanos. The Iceland folk had plenty of warning and were evacuated in a timely manner.
Ignore the experts at your own peril.